2015 Tesla Model S 60 kWh Review

Tesla Model S is a car without compromises and with high performance. With this type luxury product, people typically buying a Model S opt for the top of the line 85 or P85 version (now with dual drive D).

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that some 70% orders are for the D version and few customers are buying the 60 kWh version. The 40 kWh was cancelled even before it launched a few years ago due to the low number of orders.

“Retains all the style and practicality of the more expensive model, with decent handling and an improved ride. Quick enough for most people”

“Whether your blood runs eco green or petrol blue, this is still a stunning car. It may not have the supercar pace that made the 85+ feel like such an achievement, but it still feels years ahead of most conventional electric cars.

It’s not perfect by any means, and you do need to make adjustments for its range limitations. However it’s a stylish, fast, dynamically adept car that also offers great practicality at a comparatively affordable price, and it’s a worthy alternative to conventionally powered executive rivals.”

The price in UK stands at £50,280 ($79,000) after the government plug-in grant.

A big part of the Autocar’s review is focused on the suspension of the 60 compared to 85P, which is heavier by over 100 kg and equipped with air-suspension.

“The 85 Performance uses an air-sprung set-up, with stiffer anti-roll bars along with standard 21-inch wheels. But the standard mechanical suspension employed by this 60 version helps soften out the ride – at least for the most part.

Where the firmer 85 Performance would occasionally crash over pot holes, the 60 glides over them beautifully with little upset to the body. However, continuous ripples in the road cause it to fidget and never completely settle.

The pay-off is that when you exploit the fast and direct steering and launch the 60 at a bend, there’s prodigious grip and barely any body roll, despite the smaller tyres. Eventually the front will wash wide, and if you give the accelerator a prod mid-corner you can tempt the rear to break loose, but it’s never wild.”

I would even tend to consider the year of the car as being its conception year instead of its production year. The conception date is when most technological choices get frozen even if you obviously get upgrades later on. So a Ford model T produced in 2014 would still be mainly 1908 conception and technology.

A 40 kWh AWD model S would be perfect for me. My commute is short enough that I can get away with a Nissan Leaf but a Model S would be great.
I really can’t justify spending $70k on a car even though technically I could afford it.

We REALLY need some 120 to 200 mile EVs with batteries in the 35 to 55KWH range. If equipped with a good DC-fast charger, they’ll be able to do everything but the long 300+ mile trips. And if done well, they can be somewhat affordable. I hope we don’t have to wait until Model 3 before such a car ships.

(There is one car, the Toyota RAV4 EV in that range but it has very limited availability, has some bugs, has no DC-fast-charger, and $50K MSRP.)

A magnetic suspension system like the one from Bose would be even better since it can react much faster then a pneumatic one. The electro magnetic system would by the way be a good fit with the Tesla being an electric car from the start already.